Tom Foster, winner of the 2012 McGlothlin Award, used a portion of his $25,000 award money for a trip to the Caribbean reefs. But it wasn’t a vacation for the teacher, nor was it a break from the lesson for his students. It was an opportunity for international study and a teaching experience that went beyond the classroom.
Each day during his trip, Mr. Foster posted lessons and assignments. His students were asked to apply what their teacher was seeing and doing in the Caribbean reefs to what they were doing right here in Virginia. He would post about his experiences, the people he came in contact with and information he learned. On each day's post, the students would take a quiz as it related to that information. Overall, Mr. Foster said the students enjoyed the post. Upon his return he went over a 100-Slide Power Point presentation.
Mr. Foster was selected as the winner of The McGlothlin Award earlier this year. Teachers from 45 school districts were eligible. Two winning teachers, one from grades K-5 and one from grades 6-12, must use $10,000 of the $25,000 award for international travel, and then apply that experience to enrich their teaching.